


Carefully Now

by Hither



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Ace Magnus, F/M, My first fic since high school, coming out story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-28
Updated: 2018-12-28
Packaged: 2019-09-29 06:21:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17198159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hither/pseuds/Hither
Summary: Magnus Burnsides is ready to ask Julia Waxman to go steady. It's something he's been working himself up towards for a while. But first he's got to have a sit down serious feelings talk. Of course, with Julia, those things tend to come fairly easy.





	Carefully Now

**Author's Note:**

> Written for @cheydoesdelivery on tumblr as a Queer Candlenights Gift! 
> 
> My first fic in like five years!!

In Raven’s Roost, the sun shines hot year round. It grows the grass, feeds the trees, warms the earth. All of it shines down, stretching across the crags and the canyons. Settling itself on the skins of its residents. For all its power and warmth, it is shrugged off the large shoulders of Magnus Burnsides.

He walks across a rope bridge, not needing to pay attention to where his feet land. He knows where he walks. He knows where he goes. To the craftsmen corridor. To the Hammer and Tongs.

The thought gives him pause, and Magnus stops. He twists the bouquet he has in hands, then stops himself, brushing them off quickly and checking for damage. It’s made up of Blue flax, rabbitbrush, and paintbrush. Canyon flowers, blue and yellow and red. He can’t mess them up because he– he– He gulps.

Because he’s going to ask Julia Waxmen to go steady with him. And to do that he’s gotta tell her something. Something he thinks he wants to tell her, but something he’s not sure about telling her. It’s not bad, nothing to be ashamed of. It’s just that sometimes hearing about it people give him such strange looks. He doesn’t want that from Julia.

He wants to hold her tight, kiss her face and pet her hair. He wants to build things with her. Maybe make a house with her. Laugh about stupid jokes, adopt a bunch of dogs. He stops. His heart fluttering too hard thinking about it. 

He takes a breath, easing the tightness in his chest. Then he grins, striding forward because he’s Magnus friggin Burnsides, dangit, and he’s not gonna let a nervous stomach stop him from anything with his best friend. He’s determined now, looking for the plume of black smoke that stands out somehow different than the rest.

The Hammer and Tongs is cozy. Small, with a workbench behind the counter and a roaring forge to the other side. The back wall has shelves, lined with neat rows of knick-knacks, jars of nails, and little toys. Magnus knows this building like the back of his hand. He’s been there for two years now, learning and growing in his craftsmanship.

Learning and growing in his relationship with Julia. When he first went to them seeking apprenticeship, she had sized him up with a severe and critical eye. He never learned what she saw, but it must have been good because the next day her father was patting him on the back and shoving tools into his hands.

Now, Julia stands behind the counter, writing in a small, leather bound book. She glances out from under a halo of curly black hair, and smirks. Magnus’s smile is shaky as butterflies explode in his belly.

“I know you basically live here now, Mags, but I didn’t think you wanted to actually live here.”

He laughs, rubbing the back of his head. “Well you know, the space under the counter is so comfortable.”

“Maybe for a dog. Oh wait.” She grins, raising an eyebrow. Magnus rolls his eyes and strides across the room, going to lean against the counter. He turns at the last minute, leaning against the counter backwards and places an arm over his eyes.

“You’ve killed me, Julia. That was a fatal blow right there.”

“Damn right.” She reaches up, fluffing his hair. “What are you doing here on your day off? … with flowers?”

His breath catches, and for a second he considers backing out. It’d be super easy just to leave the flowers, go home, not risk everything he’s been building. But home is quiet. Empty. And there’s a place in his heart that says he is used to a big family, he knows that’s what he wants again. He knows he wants that to start here. So Magnus Burnsides takes a breath and dives.

“I wanted to talk to you about something, actually,” he says, holding out the flowers, too fast. Her eyes flick from the bouquet, then to him, then back. She takes it carefully from his hands, looking at him.

“Hold on.” She darts into the back, flowers in hand, yelling: “Pa! I’m going out, store’s yours!”

There’s some yelled response, and then Julia’s back, throwing her apron onto an abandoned chair. They make their way out of the Hammer and Tongs quickly, but when they pass through the doorway and into the hot sun they slow, silence settling around them.

They go away from the shop, following a narrow trail downwards. They’re close by each other and Magnus hesitates only a moment before sliding his hand along Julia’s. For a heart stopping moment nothing happens. Then her fingers twine with his, and he lets out a breath.

“This what you wanted to talk about?” Julia asks quietly, giving his hand a squeeze. Magnus nods, squeezing back. “Well…?”

“I’d like to,” he says quickly. Then he frowns. “I’d like to, you know, date you. Court you. Sweep you off your feet. All that.”

She snorts, nodding. “You know, I think I may like all that. Especially the sweeping me off my feet part. They’re tired.”

“Oh yeah?” They reach the bottom of the trail. On steady ground, he sweeps his arm down and does just that. Julia’s only just shorter than him, so it’s awkward, but he adjusts and starts to walk again. “How bout that?”

“Just what I needed,” Julia laughs. She hooks her arms around his neck, leaning back a bit. “How long can you keep it up, champ?”

“As long as I need!” He huffs, still smiling. “You’d really like to date me?”

She nods. “You’re my best friend, Magnus Burnsides. You have been since you showed up here. You’re funny, and smart. You make adorable ducks, and could probably make some pretty good things that aren’t ducks, too.”

“I definitely could.”

“So yeah, dork. I’d like to date you.”

Magnus nods, grinning broadly. They stand like that for a minute, and Magnus squeezes her in the best hug he can manage. But the moment passes, and he knows he has to let her know. Finish what he’s started.

“I wanna date you too. I…” He frowns, shifting her. Then he sets her down, sliding his hands down to hers. Sliding his thumbs over the callouses on her palms. “Do you know what ace means?”

She considers, squeezing his hands again. “Like, you’re an ace or you’re ace? Cause I have a pretty firm idea for both of them.”

Magnus snorts. “Like, like I’m ace you know?”

“I mean,” she says, giving him a big wink. “You’re also an ace.”

“You’re pretty ace too.”

“You should learn to use a mace. Then you could be a-”

“Mace ace,” they say together. Magnus grins, pulling her into a hug.

“You’re not like, weirded out or anything? Or disappointed?”

“Nah,” Julia says. She reaches up, pressing a hand against his cheek. “You’re, in your words, Magnus friggin Burnsides. You’re great. And I love you a lot. I’m sorry if I ever did anything to make you feel-”

“No no no, you didn’t. You’ve been wonderful. You-” Magnus smiles and closes his eyes, feeling her skin on his. “You’re Julia frickin Waxmen. You’re great with an axe, you make the best jokes, you are the best at raising dogs. You’ve been the nicest person in my life. I want to mix those two lives now, you know?”

Julia nods. “I know.”

She pulls him into a hug. The warmth of the sun, and the warmth of her hug settle on him, filling him. When he pulls away, he’s got tears in his eyes that he quickly wipes. “I love you, Julia.”

“I love you, Magnus.”

They hold hands for a moment, taking each other in. Then, ever so slowly Julia’s eyes slide over to the slope leading back up to the Hammer and Tongs. A grin makes it way across her face as she steps back, holding out her arms. “Think I can carry you all the way up?”

“No,” Magnus laughs. “Well. Maybe.”

“Cmon, you big doofus,” Julia says. She steps forward again, sweeping him off his feet. Catching him with a grunt, she starts her slow ascent upwards.

They make it, very nearly, the whole way.


End file.
